World Premier of The White Lama

I’m Nikki Appino, creator and producer of The White Lama. I want to share my new project with you that I hope speaks to the personal search  for spiritual meaning, and explores the seeker in all of us. 
It’s a long road developing a show and having faith that this new artwork will find its way to the stage. It's been an extraordinary process with super-talented people and we are in the very final stretch -  I'm hoping you can help. I'm  looking to raise $21,750 to finish this part of the journey as we approach the world premier on March 14th.


This new work, The White Lama,  is a multimedia performance about the quest for the sacred, framed by the adventurous life and death of early 20th-century yoga pioneer, mystic, and teacher, Theos Bernard. It features a new composition by American composer Philip Glass and Tibetan composer, Tenzin Choegyal with narration by performer Kevin Joyce.  Maria Shaplin is designing the lights, Jorge Cousineau, the set and projections, and Frances Kenny, the costumes. Part biography, part invocation, this performance is about lineage, legacy and the commitment to carving a path into the unknown.

 
Though funded by a generous grant from The Pew Center for Arts and Heritage and co-commissioned by The Annenberg Center, the costs of making a new work are high. In addition to paying the artists, support staff and designers a decent wage, there are housing & travel costs, visas, and all the money needed for rehearsals and development. The piece was created over the last two years through a series of workshops, and we are now moving towards the first finish line.
 
Your support will help finish the process by providing funds for support staff for the final performance residency, securing housing for those coming from out of town, and helping pay for professional video and photographs to document  and promote the works. In addition, we hope to make a live recording of the final performance if we reach more than our goal.
 
 I'm hoping for your help in this final month before the world premiere.  I would be so grateful for any support you can give. Thanks so much for your consideration. Best to you all, Nikki